The 5 Cookbooks Every Home Cook Should Own

When it comes to cookbooks, there’s no shortage. One look at the cooking section in any bookstore and the search for a good, easy to understand book becomes overwhelming. I understand the importance of nice, glossy photographs in making recipes visually mouthwatering; however, sometimes the best cookbooks are more like textbooks- they truly teach. I hope this list of 5 indispensable cookbooks helps encourage you to try new recipes and learn new techniques.

1. Joy of Cooking by Marion Rombauer Becker, Ethan Becker, and Irma S. Rombauer: I own the 1997 edition, but there’s a 75th anniversary edition printed in 2006. The New York Public Library selected the cookbook as one of the 150 most important and influential books of the 20th century. According to the publisher’s website, in 1931 Irma Rombauer used her life savings to print and sell the first edition to support her family after becoming a widow. The first instructions to the cook were to “stand facing the stove.” It may seem basic, but the recipes can get quite complicated. You could probably cook one recipe a day for the rest of your life and never get through the entire book. It is my favorite, I hope it becomes yours.

2. The Silver Palate Cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins: I own the 1982 edition, but there is an anniversary edition of this one as well. The 25th anniversary edition comes with 100 full color photos, something the original does not have. This cookbook will teach you how to cook like a gourmet chef, but happily, the recipes are not complicated and come with tips on techniques and descriptions of odd ingredients. The authors opened “The Silver Palate” store in 1977 in Cresskill, New Jersey. Aside from their many cookbooks, they will also ship condiments, sauces, vinegars and more from their store to you. You can even find some of their products in local grocery stores.

3. Sauces: Classical and Contemporary Sauce Making by James Peterson: I gave the second edition to Eric for Christmas one year because he loves making sauces. Now I find myself flipping through it whenever I have the opportunity. It starts with a history of sauce making, includes sauces of every color and base and ends with sauces for desserts. If it’s a sauce, it’s in this book. The first edition won the James Beard Foundation Cookbook of the Year in 1992. The third edition will be released in September 2008 and is supposed to be a simpler version.

4. The Young Man and the Sea: Recipes and Crispy Fish Tales from Esca by David Pasternack, Ed Levine and Christopher Hirsheimer: This book is as beautiful as it is informative. It has lots of glossy, color photographs to go along with the yummy recipes. Pasternack achieved fame in the culinary world when he introduced crudo, an Italian version of sushi, to America. Crudo is raw fish sprinkled with sea salt and citrus juice.
Sounds simple, but it’s divine. If raw seafood isn’t for you, don’t worry, this cookbook still is. There are plenty of cooked dishes including Grilled Tuna with Artichokes, Fried Soft-Shell Crabs with Ramps and Spaghetti with Lobster and Chiles. Trust me, if you like seafood, you’ll love this cookbook.

5. Frank Stitt’s Southern Table: Recipes and Gracious Traditions from Highlands Bar and Grill by Frank Stitt, Pat Conroy and Christopher Hirsheimer: If you live anywhere near Birmingham, Alabama, I hope you have visited Highlands Bar and Grill, Bottega Restaurant and Chez Fonfon. If you haven’t, you must make a reservation for one of them tonight. Author Frank Stitt is chef and owner of all three. Stitt has won the James Beard Award for the Best Chef of the Southeast along with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Southern Foodways Alliance. In this cookbook, you’ll find plenty of photos and more than 150 recipes on French influenced southern food, many of which are featured in Stitt’s restaurants. I recommend starting with the Pimento Cheese!

If you have any cookbooks you think should be on this list, but aren’t, email me at {encode="nzito@wvtm.com" title="nzito@wvtm.com"}.

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